Ryan vows to push train issue

State Member for Euroa Steph Ryan said she would tell the first-hand experiences of train travellers in the Euroa electorate every week Parliament sits until Daniel Andrews delivers on his promise to buy new trains.

State Member for Euroa Steph Ryan said she would tell the first-hand experiences of train travellers in the Euroa electorate every week Parliament sits until Daniel Andrews delivers on his promise to buy new trains.

Ms Ryan has committed to retelling the personal stories of train travellers who are faced with frequent delays and breakdowns.

‘‘If Melbourne had experienced the same catastrophic breakdowns we had over the Christmas and new year period, there would be a riot in the streets.

‘‘These are not one-off or isolated incidents; in recent times they seem to be occurring on an almost daily basis.’’

Ms Ryan said she wanted to remind Daniel Andrews that he said if the Federal Government provided money to fix the track, his government would provide new trains.

‘‘The Federal Nationals and Liberals held up their end of the bargain, with a $140 million investment in the track last year, but the Premier has done nothing to replace our out-of-date, broken-down trains,’’ she said.

‘‘A coat of paint does not make a train more reliable.

‘‘In the last couple of weeks, I’ve heard some shocking stories.

‘‘People have been forced to wait on broken-down trains without access to a toilet for hours on end.

‘‘Mixed messages over the phone from V/Line led to people being told to relocate and wait for a bus, only to miss their train.

‘‘Overcrowding and ticketing issues have resulted in seats being sold twice over, leading to confusion between passengers and some people having to stand in the aisles.

‘‘Daniel Andrews is treating us as second-class citizens.

‘‘The Andrews Labor Government must acknowledge this mess and deliver on its promise to ‘provide the money for the trains’ and make the service ‘much, much better’.’’

●If you have a firsthand story you believe Steph should share, email her at [email protected]